While fixing some bugs and figuring out how exactly to build my next app (AI app builders are so close and still so far, more on that later). I ran into a small project that can be solved with a 3D printer. I immediately became obsessed.
A Carnacle in use.
3D printers are a miracle. I can sketch something, design it in Fusion, and an hour or two later have a version to test. It normally takes a few revisions, but I can have a physical object that solves a problem in my hands in less time than it takes to order something. This is where the Carnacle came from. I noticed people at trailheads trying to prop their bikes up on their vehicles, usually ending with the bike sliding to the ground, and hopefully no scratch on the car. A handlebar holder attached to a soft pad with embedded magnets solves this.
One of my bikes is missing a dust cap, not a big deal, but the crank arm nut is ugly. This bike is older than me, a bit too big, found by Hannah on a curb, made of shiny stainless steel, and a constant project. I love it. Over the years, I’ve moved from the idea of restoring the bike to making it MY bike. Newer, lighter fenders, modern flat pedals, bar end shifters, removing the front derailleur, etc. This was a perfect chance for more personalization. I based the design and layout on the remains cap, added a personal motto, modeled it in Fusion (with a custom thread XML), a few revisions later (threads on a resin printer are hard), and I had the Can’t Stop dust cap done, painted and on the bike. It’s a small personal project made for no one but me, but the kind of thing that was basically impossible just a few years ago. This is a huge part of the magic: a 3D printer, maybe some glue, and a bit of model paint can get you pretty far.
I have more projects in the queue, a TPU bar end for the non-shifter side of my bars, a foldable basket for a porteur rack, some training tools for climbing, and of course, a few apps. Making small useful things that solve problems for me and hopefully others feels like a way to give back, make the world a bit better, and right now we really need that wherever we can get it.
